The use of photovoltaic cells or solar panels to power autonomously powered devices such as solar powered light poles, highway and street signs, bike rental installations, parking meters, and the like, are achieving more widespread acceptance in the marketplace. Such autonomously powered devices are typically provid a rechargeable battery which stores and supplies electrical power to load devices, such as LED lights, cameras and communication systems. A generation system is provided which is selected to produce and autonomously supply a charging electric current to the battery. Conventionally, autonomously powered devices are typically provided with a solar panel consisting of one or more photovoltaic cells and/or a wind turbine for use in generating electric power.
Heretofore, battery performance and reliability has proven a major impediment to the widespread commercial acceptance of self or autonomously powered light poles, traffic and street signs, parking meters and the like. In particular, by virtue of the varying nature of available sunlight and/or wind to power solar panels and wind turbines, the power generation system associated with conventional solar lights suffer disadvantages respecting reliably and/or fully charging, or overcharging device batteries.